Eaton keeps lead after 7 events

United States' Ashton Eaton competes in the men's discus throw of the decathlon at the World Athletics Championships in the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2013. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

The decathlon standings changed after the discus, the seventh event, but Ashton Eaton’s lead stayed about the same. Eaton now stands at 6280 points, and has a lead of 119 points over Michael Schrader of Germany, who has 6161. Close behind Schrader is another German, Rico Freimuth, who has 6127. Canada’s Damian Warner, 6110, and Gunnar Nixon of the U.S., 6108, round out a closely-packed top five. The pole vault is often a make or break event in the decathlon, and, with the medal race very tight here, looks to be crucial today. It will get underway very soon.